About Voter’s Edge California

Welcome to Voter’s Edge California

Voter’s Edge California (VEC) is a joint project of MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund (LWVCEF).* Voter’s Edge California is a comprehensive, nonpartisan online guide to elections covering federal, state, and local races in the state of California.

With Voter’s Edge California, voters can:

• Access their full, personalized ballot by entering their address.
• Get in-depth information on candidates, measures, and who supports them.
• View candidate biographies, top priorities, answers to questions, photos, policy videos, endorsements, and detailed information about who funds their campaigns.
• Browse unbiased explanations of ballot measures; find out who supports, opposes, and funds them.
• Check where, when, and how to vote, including information on their local polling locations.
• Keep track of their choices to make voting easier.
• Share information about the election with friends and family.

*The LWVCEF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization and never advocates. The League of Women Voters of California does operate a separate nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization that advocates on issues and sometimes makes recommendations on ballot measures.

History of Voter’s Edge California

The League of Women Voters of California Education Fund produced one of the nation’s first election information websites, SmartVoter.org. Since 1996, the Smart Voter project has been California’s premier online source for authoritative, nonpartisan coverage of election contests, candidates, and ballot measures.

MapLight’s Voter’s Edge tool was first designed to help voters understand the sources of funding behind ballot measures in California. In recent years, the project has expanded to cover candidates and elections in states beyond California.

In 2014, the League and MapLight joined forces to create a successful pilot project. The result is Voter’s Edge California.

The Partnership

MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund’s continued collaboration into the 2016 election cycle empowers voters to access the information they need to vote with confidence. Our partnership marries Smart Voter’s authoritative coverage of election contests, candidates, and ballot measures with MapLight's deep expertise in public data and technology. The result is Voter’s Edge California, which provides top-to-bottom ballot and campaign finance information in one easy-to-use site, giving voters instant access to political information of unparalleled depth and transparency.

About MapLight

MapLight is a nonpartisan research organization that reveals money’s influence on politics. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

We provide journalists and citizens with transparency tools that connect data on campaign contributions, politicians, legislative votes, industries, companies, and more to show patterns of influence never before possible to see. These tools allow users to gain unique insights into how campaign contributions affect policy so they can draw their own conclusions about how money influences our political system.

Visit us to learn more about MapLight and our work.

About the League of Women Voters of California Edcuation Fund

The League of Women Voters of California Education Fund conducts voter service and civic education activities. We are a 501(c)(3) corporation, a nonpartisan nonprofit educational organization, which:

• Builds participation in the democratic process.
• Studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner.
• Enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

Get more information about us.

Find your local League of Women Voters.

Visit Smart Voter’s archives for information and results from past elections.

Advisory Boards

Voter’s Edge has an advisory board for each state it covers, as well as a Spanish language advisory board. Voter’s Edge advisory board members are dedicated leaders who share a commitment to civic engagement, nonpartisan voter information, and good government. They represent a variety of political affiliations and hold expertise in different areas, but all are invested in addressing the challenges faced by voters in their state. At the national level, Voter’s Edge is guided by input from MapLight’s board and advisory board.

Voter’s Edge California Advisory Board

Members of the Voter’s Edge California advisory board advise MapLight on various aspects of Voter’s Edge, including editorial policy, potential partnerships, and effective distribution strategies. Members include:

• Kim Alexander, President & Founder, California Voter Foundation
• Jon Fleischman, Founder & Publisher of FlashReport, Owner of Fleischman Consulting
• Jill LaVine, Registrar of Voters, Sacramento County
• Emily Rusch, Executive Director, CALPIRG
• Susan Stuart Clark, Founder & Director, Common Knowledge Group
• Phillip Ung, Director of Public Affairs, California Forward

Spanish Language Advisory Board

Members of the Voter’s Edge Spanish Language advisory board advise MapLight on various aspects of translating and presenting Voter’s Edge in Spanish, as well as distribution strategies to Spanish-language users. Members include:

• Mony Flores-Bauer, Consultant, Progressive Consultants Network
• Lisa Garcia Bedolla, Chancellor's Professor, Education and Political Science, U.C. Berkeley
• German Macias, California Program Coordinator, NALEO Education Fund
• Astrid Garcia Ochoa, Deputy Director, Future of California Elections
• Gino Squadrito, Art Director, LaserCom

Funders

Voter’s Edge California is funded by individuals and foundations who support our work providing voters with a one-stop source of unbiased, nonpartisan information to help them make choices that best align with their particular values and interests.

We are deeply grateful to the following foundations and individuals whose contributions make Voter’s Edge California possible:

• Alameda County: Registrar of Voters
• Rita Allen Foundation (national Voter’s Edge project)
• Bright Horizon Fund
• Matt and Cindy Cutts (national Voter’s Edge project)
• Bonnie and Earl Hamlin
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (national Voter’s Edge project)
• The James Irvine Foundation
• The Kaphan Foundation (national Voter’s Edge project)
• Ellen Kitamura
• John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (national Voter’s Edge project)
• League of Women Voters of Eden Area
• League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mountain View Area
• League of Women Voters of Los Angeles
• League of Women Voters of Marin County
• League of Women Voters of Oakland
• League of Women Voters of Palo Alto
• League of Women Voters of Sacramento County
• League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara
• League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara
• League of Women Voters of Southwest Santa Clara Valley
• The Honorable Becky Morgan
• Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund (national Voter’s Edge project)
• The Pick One Fund
• San Mateo County: Office of Assessor-Clerk-Recorder
• Santa Clara County: Registrar of Voters
• Tides Civic Innovation Fund
• Orlin and Onnolee Trapp
• Kathleen Weisenberg
• Anonymous

Join these and other donors by supporting Voter’s Edge California today!

Meet the Voter’s Edge California Team

A diverse group of talents and personalities, from both the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVCEF) and MapLight, combine to make Voter’s Edge California possible - let’s meet the team!

County Coordinators: County Coordinators and other volunteers are vital to the success of Voter’s Edge California. These volunteers work tirelessly to ensure Voter’s Edge California offers an abundance of accurate, high-quality information to voters.

• Alameda County Coordinator: Bonnie Hamlin

• Butte County Coordinator: Jane Wanderer

• Contra Costa County Coordinator: Marion Shostrom

• El Dorado County Coordinator: Elaine Lyman

• Fresno County Coordinator: Jacquie Canfield

• Humboldt County: Currently Vacant

• Imperial County Coordinator: Myles Pomeroy

• Kern County Coordinator: Lois Watson

• Los Angeles County Coordinators: Linda Herman & Pat Kromka & Roz Tyson

• Marin County Coordinator: Veda Flores

• Mendocino County Coordinator: Pat Dunbar

• Monterey County Coordinator: Dennis Mar

• Napa County Coordinator: Kim Farmer

• Orange County Coordinator: Petti Van Rekom

• Placer County Coordinator: Lynne Roberts

• Riverside County Coordinator: Joan Donahue

• Sacramento County Coordinator: Louise Einspahr

• San Bernardino County Coordinator: Jill Vassilakos

• San Diego County Coordinator: Rachel McDonald

• San Francisco County Coordinator: Sara Kunitake

• San Joaquin County Coordinator: Vickie Markarian

• San Luis Obispo County Coordinators: Ann Havlik & Alice Bunker

• San Mateo County Coordinator: Kathee Tyson

• Santa Barbara County Coordinator: Bonnie Lassen

• Santa Clara County Coordinators: Greg Fowler & Julie Lovins

• Santa Cruz County: Currently Vacant

• Sonoma County Coordinator: Sally Patterson

• Stanislaus County Coordinator: Mary Giventer

• Tulare County Coordinator: Denise Nelson

• Ventura County: Currently Vacant